Shoppers in London can turn footsteps into electricity

Bird Street, just off Oxford Street in London’s West End, has undergone something of a transformation recently, going from an underused retail zone offshoot to the “world’s first Smart Street.” Designed to showcase the High Street of the future, it merges pollution-busting and sustainable technology with a traffic-free shopping and dining experience.

The hustle and bustle of Oxford Street can be a bit overwhelming. London’s premium outdoor shopping zone is noisy, very busy and often cramped. By contrast, Bird Street has been designed to be an oasis of calm and relaxation. And shoppers cutting between Barret Street and Oxford Street can become walking power generators thanks to a 10 sq m (107 sq ft) Pavegen walkway.

Each of the company’s V3 panel has three 500 mm sides and is reported capable of turning footsteps into 5 W of continuous power, while also gathering pedestrian flow metrics. Kinetic energy harvested in Bird Street will be converted to electricity and used to power street lamps and background bird sounds, as well as Bluetooth transmitters.